01 Oca 2026 Perşembe
Biodiversity of aphidophagous predators in the southeast districts of Uttar Pradesh, India
Abstract : The present study documents the diversity and ecological role of aphid predators in 11 districts of southeast Uttar Pradesh (SEUP), India. A total of 47 predator species representing 26 genera under four families were recorded preying on 31 aphid species belonging to 17 genera, infesting 81 plant species across all 11 districts of SEUP. In total, 794 (41%) tri-trophic associations among predators, aphids, and host plants were established. The majority of predators were members of Coccinellidae (35 species, >74%), followed by Syrphidae (9 species), Hemerobiidae (2 species), and Chrysopidae (1 species). Highly polyphagous species such as Coccinella septempunctata Linnaeus and Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Fabricius) were found preying on 23 and 21 aphid species across diverse host plants, while Ischiodon scutellaris (Fabricius) and Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer) dominated among syrphids. Aphid species such as Aphis craccivora Koch, Aphis gossypii Glover, Lipaphis erysimi (Kaltenbach), Brevicoryne brassicae (Linnaeus), and Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch) attracted the highest diversity of predators, particularly on fabaceous, brassica and solanaceous vegetables, oilseeds, and cereal crops. The findings highlight the richness of predator fauna in the region, with most crop-infesting aphids naturally regulated by multiple predator species. Field conservation of these natural enemies is essential and can be achieved by minimizing excessive nitrogen fertilizer use and adopting selective pesticide practices. Overall, the study underscores the ecological significance of natural predators as sustainable, cost-effective, and environmentally safe regulators of aphid populations, thereby reducing reliance on chemical insecticides.